Global Village Blog

There is hope and it requires you to exercise your physical and spiritual muscle.

You've probably seen the movie "Finding Nemo" and remember Dory grabbing the fin of a depressed Nemo and telling him, "When life gets you down, you have to remember to just keep swimming." As they proceed into the dark abyss, Dory begins singing, "Just keep swimming...just keep swimming."

Today the devotional featured in Habitat for Humanity's Lent Guide is my write up about my spiritual reflection while on a Global Village trip in San Juan de la Manguana, Dominican Republic in June 2012. Our team was blessed to partner with two families and helped excavate and build the foundations for both of their homes using their native construction techniques and tools. The work took the entire five days!

From this devotional, I hope that you know that God is present, holding your hand and guiding you into the deep and sometimes dark places of your life. Know that there is hope and it requires that you exercise your physical and spiritual muscle. Don't let fear and anxiety override your faith and don't forget that your work is not vain.

Download the entire devotional guide for more devotionals written by my colleagues and some spiritual advisers from around the world.

Traditionally, Lent is observed from Ash Wednesday to Easter. It is a time of reflection, repentance and prayer. This specially created devotional guide and other opportunities offered here provide ways for faith partners to join Habitat for Humanity in 40 days of prayer, service and sacrifice. These activities offer people a way to share God’s love and lead people to grow in their faith in tangible ways.